Has running lost its appeal to Filipino audience? That’s what I asked myself as soon as I reached the venue this morning. It’s been 4 months since I last joined a race and the assembly area is almost empty. I walked towards the starting line and to my utter horror; I saw the 07:03 numbers right below the 10k category.
What the H????
The run has started for 7 minutes? But I thought it’s supposed to start at 6AM? It’s only 10 minutes shy of 6 in my pink watch. Aaargh!!! XD There’s no time for more questioning; I instantly got to my feet and started running to reach the last set of runners in my line of sight. There were about 5 of them and instead of doing a warm-up first where I jog in say, a 7 rpm in the treadmill, I had to run at my fastest.
Ganun pala yung feeling. For the first time I knew what it feels like to be the “kulelat” in a race. Pangit. Good thing the last set of them weren’t that fast runners so it didn’t take long for me to overtake them. Whew! Only then I felt normal. I'm not an outlier. :-p
I thought this run could be a preview. Of what? Of a future run without my friends. I invited the usual gang for this run but we didn’t go altogether because I had some errands the day before. With Joann finally migrating to Singapore for work next week, this could be the last run with her and I shamed my friend Randolph into it for backing out at the last minute because they are transferring to a different apartment. Phhhbt! XD With her gone, there would be no more overnights at Paranaque and I’m not sure if the other two guys would be cooperative when it comes to my organized races. So most likely in the future, more or less I’d be running alone. Which I think should be fine, I can manage.
During the slowdown before I finally made the final turn towards the finish line, I received an SMS from my phone which gave me a chance to further slowdown. I was expecting it’s from Joan who maybe finished earlier since I started late, only it is from Bong who said he didn’t wake up in time for the race. Argh! XD I put my phone back to the case and prepared myself for the final show.
The final show for me is that final turn towards the finish line wherein you have to put on your game face and appear to be a “toughie” to everyone. Hahaha! That’s why it is important to slowdown first when no one’s looking at you yet to save some energy. Coz the moment you’re in that finish line road, all the cameras are ready and I have to give my best “tough chick” look. Wahaha!! Ang plastic!!!
More or less my race results are better than the last which is the Condura Skyway. There was only one slope for this run after 2KM and surprisingly I didn’t walk through it. Must be the banana I took for breakfast. :-p
So that was me, waiting for a reply from Joan, all sweaty after the race. Sariling sikap ng picture. Haha! After which I found out, Joan and his brother didn’t make it also. Yay!! I was really “alone” in this race. And if before, I usually bump into someone I know, this time was different. There was no one familiar among the participants. Has running really lost its appeal to Filipinos? I was back to asking. Oh well.
I noticed this Kenyan runner is a star too with all these Filipinos taking a photograph with him. I noticed him during the run when he started overtaking me, it was one of my again “slowdown” moments since the song has just started and I was supposed to follow the pace in the chorus. May ganon pa akong nalalaman? LOL! But seeing him there springing buoyantly somehow motivated me a little and it was impossible to maintain his pace, a few seconds passed and he was already nowhere from my sight. XD
Just out of sheer curiosity, I actually talked to him on the way to the portaloo to ask a lot of things. Did he just come here to run? Why did he choose it here? Does he want to be known internationally or does he do it for the money? Although I don’t think I can ask that last question directly, haha! Why do I feel like I’m some journalist or something? LOL!
He answered my questions and learned that he’s run for other countries as well. He stays in a place in Taguig and when he started asking questions about me, I pulled off a uhh-I-think-I-should-get-going-see-you-around thing. Haha!
So, my conclusion is, a solo flight race is doable for me. It's not really like a movie thing which may look pathetic if you do alone. :-p After all, just like what the chatty taxi driver told me, the benefit is still for my body. ☑ ☻☼
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